Single Bells

SINGLE BELLS? Lone parents most likely to find love this Christmas! THERE’S no need for single parents to be lonely this Christmas. British lone parents are set for their merriest ever Xmas after it was revealed they are the sexiest group of UK singles. Forget images of exhausted single mums too busy for make-up or miserable dads eating a festive lunch alone. New research proves single parents try harder than any other solos in the search for love. Not only are single parents slimmer and fitter – with post-break up partners dropping an average of 8lbs each - they are also more active on the dating scene. Lone parents polled from parents dating website www.parentsdate.co.uk went on an average of five dates a month each, compared to just 2.3 a month for other love hunters. And the search for true love doesn’t stop there. Sixty four per cent of single mums said they tried a hot new haircut or colour to hook a new man, while 40 per cent of single dads hit the gym to buff their muscles. Another 15 per cent of lone mums opted for a total wardrobe makeover and ten per cent were even considering cosmetic surgery to look their very best. Mike O’Brien of www.parentsdate.co.uk calls the phenomenon the ‘Break-up Makeover’. He explains: “Any love split is tough, but it can make parents more focussed on what they want. When they are ready to date again, they do absolutely all the can to improve their chances. And what better way is there than to look and feel fabulous?” O’Brien believes the Break-up Makeover is often driven by the kids. He says: “Children want their parents to be happy. We hear so many stories where the kids pester the parents to improve themselves, so they can find a new family. It’s a joy to see when it works out.” With 2.5million single parents in the UK, single parent dating websites such as www.parentsdate.co.uk are enjoying an unprecedented UK boom.